s we observe the 40th anniversary of the United States Supreme Court
decision to legalize abortion, Father Richard John Neuhaus offers these
incredibly consoling words:
“. . . So long as we have the gift of life we must protect the gift of life. So
long as it is threatened, so long must it be defended. This is the time to brace
ourselves for the long term. We are today laying the foundations for the prolife

movement of the 21st century. Pray that the foundations are firm, for we have not yet seen the full
fury of the storm that is upon us.
“But we have not the right to despair. We have
not the right and we have not the reason to despair
if we understand that our entire struggle is
premised not upon a victory to be achieved but a
victory that has been achieved.
“If we understand that, far from despair, we have

By Rachelle Sauvageau

right and reason to rejoice that we are called to
such a time as this, a time of testing, a time of
truth. The encroaching culture of death shall not
prevail, for we know, as we read in John’s Gospel,
‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness
has not overcome it.’ The darkness will never overcome that light.”
Please turn to JAN. 22 on page 10

New Earth archives

Pilgrims from across the diocese annually participate in the March for Life in Washington, D.C.

Auction items requested

Find your P’s & Q’s and more . . .
Catholic Charities North Dakota’s “Purse & Quilt and more . . . Auction”
features heirloom quality quilts and fantastic purses as well as service, home,
sporting and entertainment packages in both live and silent auctions. In
its third year, the event hosted 130 guests and raised more than $12,000.
Catholic Charities is currently seeking cash and gift-in-kind donations
for this year’s event with a specific need for handmade quilts. All gifts
will be recognized in the auction catalog and receipted as a tax deductible
gift, as allowed by law.
This year’s auction will be Monday, April 8 at the Hilton Garden Inn
in Fargo at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets for this fun, wine and appetizer event are $20 each or two
for $30.
To reserve tickets, make a donation or have any questions regarding the
Catholic Charities North Dakota’s “Purse & Quilt and more . . . Auction,”
contact Sarah Ries at (701) 235-4457 or sries@catholiccharitiesnd.org, or visit
www.catholiccharitiesnd.org.

2 ■ JANUARY 2013

NEWEARTH

Our Year of Faith efforts can be our New Year’s resolutions

I

would like to wish all of you a most
begin to cut corners and eventually I
happy, blessed and peace-filled New
quit.
Year. We have the custom of making
I think I know the reasons why I do
what are termed “New Year’s resolutions”
this.
this time every year and that in itself is
First, I make too many resolutions;
not so bad. However, for we who are
second, they are too easy and, thus, any
Catholics, our New Year
distraction will make me
has already begun with
skip or stop doing them;
the First Sunday of Adand, finally, none of
vent and it is our long
them are all that necesand holy tradition to call
sary or important so that
our New Year a year of
if I stop them I really
“grace and favor from
won’t be bothered by
the Lord”.
that.
Moreover, we have
Let’s not do that this
been celebrating this
time.
great “Year of Faith” with
Let’s make what we are
personal and communal
doing in our “Year of
prayer, devotions, our
Faith” and our own New
holy liturgies and our seYear of “grace and favor
rious and further study,
from the Lord” our caland we shall continue to
endar New Year’s resoludo so until the Solemnity
tions. In this way, we not
of Christ the King this
only strengthen, nourish
November.
and enliven our faith,
Bishop David Kagan
which is our life, we will
Since the “Year of
do the same for the
Faith” is already underworld around us and in which we live,
way and our New Year of “grace and fawork, go to school, recreate and assist
vor from the Lord” is also underway, I
others.
would like to suggest that, as we begin a
new calendar year, we make our “New
In other words, we take our re-evangeYear’s resolutions” what we are already
lized faith with us each day wherever we
doing for the “Year of Faith” and which
go and that re-evangelized faith is the
the Advent and Christmas seasons have
reason we speak and think and act as
contributed to our prayers, devotions,
faithful Catholics who love God and love
liturgies, studies and works of charity and
our neighbor as we love ourselves.
self-sacrifice.
Please know that I continue to remember all of you each day at the Holy SacriThe reason I suggest this is that, if you
fice of the Mass, and I ask that in your
are like me, I usually make resolutions
goodness you would remember to pray
for a new calendar year which are too
for our priests, seminarians, deacons and
easy to do and even easier not to do.
the lay women and men who serve
I end up keeping these resolutions
Christ in His Church.
for a little while and then gradually I

Apostolic
Administrator

Bishops urge Catholics to pray
for life, marriage, religious liberty
In this Year of Faith, the Catholic Bishops of the United States have called
for a nationwide effort to advance a movement for life, marriage and religious
liberty through prayer, penance, and sacrifice. Catholics across the nation are
being encouraged to pray for rebuilding a culture favorable to life and marriage
and for increased protections of religious liberty.
This call to prayer is prompted by unprecedented challenges to the Church
and the nation, particularly the HHS Mandate and current trends in government
and culture toward redefining marriage.
The goal of this call to prayer is twofold: (1) to increase awareness of these
challenges and (2) to build spiritual stamina and fortitude among the faithful
so that we can be effective and joyful witnesses of faith, hope, and charity and
agents of the New Evangelization.
Beginning on the Sunday after Christmas, the Feast of the Holy Family, the
Call to Prayer for Life, Marriage and Religious Liberty has five components:
■ Monthly Eucharistic Holy Hours in cathedrals and parishes.
■ Daily Rosary by families and individuals.
■ Special Prayers of the Faithful at all Masses.
■ Fasting and abstinence from meat on Fridays.
■ Fortnight for Freedom in June/July 2013.
Join the movement! Pray for our nation. Pray for life, marriage and religious
liberty.

Diocesan policy: Reporting child abuse
The Diocese of Fargo is committed to the protection of youth. Please report
any incidents or suspected incidents of child abuse, including sexual abuse, to
civil authorities. If the situation involves a member of the clergy or a religious
order, a seminarian, or an employee of a Catholic school, parish, the diocesan
offices or other Catholic entity within the diocese, we ask that you also report
the incident or suspected incident to Msgr. Joseph P. Goering at (701) 3567945 or Larry Bernhardt, victim assistance coordinator, at (701) 356-7965 or
VictimAssistance@fargodiocese.org. For additional information about victim
assistance, visit www.fargodiocese.org.

“Then I saw a new heaven
and a new earth.”
Revelation 21:1

NewEarth
(ISSN # 10676406)

SERVING CATHOLIC PARISHES
AS THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE
DIOCESE OF FARGO, ND.
Member of the
Catholic Press Association
Bishop David Kagan
Apostolic Administrator, Fargo
Publisher
news@fargodiocese.org

Ordination
anniversaries in 2013
The following priests will be celebrating their ordination anniversaries with a special reception in
their honor. Please mark your
calendars for these upcoming
gatherings.
Father Richard Goellen
50th anniversary
Saturday, June 1 at 10 a.m.
St. Catherine’s, Valley City

Knights of Columbus members of Holy Cross Council #9642 in West Fargo, are pictured with Father Jim Meyer and the new chasuble and alb they
presented to him for his service as council chaplain and for his efforts to promote the Knights of Columbus at Holy Cross Church. The liturgical garments will be worn on Knights of Columbus weekends when brother knights, their spouses and children cover all the ministries.

This Year of Faith, encounter Jesus Christ
using time-honored methods of St. Ignatius
By Rachelle Sauvageau

Pope Benedict XVI, on introducing
the Year of Faith, stated that it will be
“a moment of grace and commitment
to a more complete conversion to God,
to strengthen our faith in Him and to
proclaim Him with joy to the people of
our time.”
It is to be a time of conversion, not
only for those who do not know the
faith, or are far from it, but also for those
whose lives are in intimate relationship
with the Father, Son,
and Spirit.
A call for greater efforts of evangelization and catechesis,
this Year of Faith is
also a time for personal growth in our
faith journey.
Pope
Benedict
points to this year as
a time to “entrust
Sauvageau
ourselves fully to
God, in complete freedom.” This entrustment takes place within a relationship of love and trust, one where we
encounter the living and true God in
prayer. And while prayer can take different expressions — vocal, meditative
or contemplative — contemplative
prayer is the “simplest expression of the
mystery of prayer. It is a gift, a grace; it
can be accepted only in humility and
poverty” (CCC 2713).
The Diocese of Fargo Office for
Catholic Education and Formation has
prepared the “Living our Baptismal Life”
booklet to help persons learn and practice two particular methods of contemplative prayer during this Year of Faith.
Pointing to the benefits of practicing either the Indwelling Presence of God, or
Lectio Divina, the booklet shows how
these methods of prayer allow us to en-

Introduction to the Spiritual Exercises
of St. Ignatius: Retreats for men and women
For many years, Father Andrew Jasinski has directed weekend retreats for those who want a
taste of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. These retreats are conducted in silence, as
retreatants seek great intimacy with the Lord. The following retreats will be held at St. Francis
Convent and Retreat Center, Hankinson; cost is $250.
■ Retreat for women: Feb. 14–17 — Registration deadline: Feb. 11.
■ Retreat for men: March 7–10 — Registration deadline: March 4.
Online registration forms can be found at www.fargodiocese.org/retreatregistration. For more
information about these retreats, contact Rachelle at rachelle.sauvageau@fargodiocese.org.

ter into a deeply personal intimacy with
the Trinity, to discover our true identity
in God, and to choose our true life’s
mission.
These methods of prayer can and
should be practiced on a regular basis.
Another means of experiencing contemplative prayer is to take time away
for a spiritual retreat. The Ignatian Retreat experience can provide an atmosphere of silence, solitude and through
daily conferences, an understanding of
the time-honored methods of St. Ignatius of Loyola as a way to encounter
Jesus Christ.
St. Ignatius is known for his keen spiritual awareness, those movements of
the heart where we experience not only
God’s love and mercy for us, but also
those movements that may want to
draw us away from God, from His desires and will for us.
Over the course of a day, we all go
through spiritual ups and downs of happiness and discouragement, anxiety and
peace, even feeling great closeness to
God and then not being able to recognize His presence at all. And yet in the
midst of all these fluctuations, St. Ignatius offers us a means to “discern”
what is God’s voice and what is not.

And it is in the discerning of God’s voice
that we can more fully receive our true
identity and mission.
The booklet “Living Our Baptismal
Life” is available from the Office of
Catholic Education and Formation. For
single or bulk orders, call Rachelle at
(701) 356-7910 or contact her by email
at rachelle.sauvageau@fargodiocese.org.
Order forms can be found at www.
fargodicoese.org/yearoffaith. A suggested donation for each booklet
requested is $1.
Rachelle Sauvageau is director of the
Respect Life Office.

Candidacy to the Permanent Diaconate, Cathedral of St. Mary,
Fargo, 5 to 8 p.m.

Feb. 8

Administrative meetings, Pastoral Center, Fargo

Feb. 9

Vianney Discernment, Maryvale, Valley City, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Feb. 15 Administrative meetings, Pastoral Center, Fargo

1417 South University Drive, Fargo, ND 58103

4 â&#x2013; JANUARY 2013

NEWEARTH

NOTE TO READERS:
Renewals for readers living outside of the diocese: If you are not registered at
a Diocese of Fargo parish but have a subscription to New Earth, please consider
sending in your renewal payment if you have not already done so this year. Renewal notices are not mailed, but this notice is placed in New Earth usually once
per year. The renewal/subscription cost is $9 per year for 11 issues of New Earth.
Checks should be made payable to Diocese of Fargo and mailed to: New Earth,
Diocese of Fargo, 5201 Bishops Blvd., Suite A., Fargo, ND 58104-7605. If you
have already renewed your subscription, thank you! Subscriptions for clergy
and religious are mailed free of charge and renewal is not required.
If you have questions about your subscription, please call (701) 356-7900 or
email news@fargodiocese.org.

Giving Hearts Day an opportunity
for Catholic organizations Feb. 14
On Feb. 14, Catholic Charities North Dakota will be taking part in Giving Hearts
Day sponsored by the Dakota Medical Foundation.
On this day, gifts made to the agency will be matched up to $4,000.
To make a donation on Feb. 14, go to www.impactgiveback.org and click on Giving
Hearts â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Learn more. Select Catholic Charities North Dakota and make a donation.
Catholic Charities North Dakotaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission statement is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Guided by our values,
Catholic Charities North Dakota serves people in need and advocates for the common
good of all.â&#x20AC;?
The agency serves the entire state of North Dakota with several programs including
Pregnancy, Parenting and Adoption, Adults Adopting Special Kids, Guardianship Services, Counseling Services, and Disaster Response.
This is the second year Catholic Charities North Dakota is participating in this
wonderful day of giving. Last year $1,631,000 was raised by local non-profits on
Giving Hearts Day.
For more information, please contact Colleen Hardy at chardy@catholic
charitiesnd.org or call 1-800-450-4457.
Remember to mark Feb. 14 on your calendar and double your donation on Giving
Hearts Day.

Feb. 7 luncheon to feature Catholic TV
and radio personality Patrick Madrid
Patrick Madrid, director of the Envoy
Institute, will be the featured speaker at a
luncheon event from 11:30 a.m. to 1
p.m., Thursday, Feb. 7, at Sts. Anne and
Joachim Church in Fargo.
Madrid will speak on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ticking Time
Bomb â&#x20AC;&#x201D; How Global Aging Will Affect
You.â&#x20AC;?
Drawing upon Catholic moral teaching, Madrid will offer the practical and
spiritual implications of several interlocking social and moral issues such as contraception, abortion, euthanasia, cloning,
and the population implosion taking
place in the West.
He will also address why countries
whose birth rates are below replacement
levels (most are) signals an imminent social catastrophe of staggering proportions,
and how the Terri Schiavo saga is an example of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;right to dieâ&#x20AC;? movementâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
steady transformation into the â&#x20AC;&#x153;obligation
to dieâ&#x20AC;? mantra that will threaten the lives
of countless aged and infirm men, women
and children in the years to come.
Madrid hosts the popular â&#x20AC;&#x153;Right Here,
Right Nowâ&#x20AC;? radio show which is produced by Immaculate Heart Radio and
broadcast on the EWTN Global Catholic
Radio Network as well as on Sirius-XM

To make reservations
Join us for Lunch with Patrick
Madrid on Thurs., Feb. 7, at Sts.
Anne and Joachim Church, 5202
25th St. S., Fargo. Cost for the event
is $15/person. Registration deadline
is Feb. 4. Registration is required;
forms can be found at www.fargo
diocese.org/prolifeluncheon or by
calling (701) 356-7900 or emailing
katie.wise@fargodiocese.org.
The event is sponsored by the Diocese of Fargo Communications and
Respect Life offices together with
Real Presence Radio. Paid for in part
by a grant from the National Catholic Society of Foresters.
Satellite Radio (channel 130), and on
the Internet.
He has hosted several EWTN television series, including â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pope Fiction,â&#x20AC;?
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Search and Rescueâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where Is that
In the Bible?â&#x20AC;? Madrid is also a frequent
guest and occasional guest-host on the
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Catholic Answers Liveâ&#x20AC;? program.

Papal prayer intentions
January
General intention: The Faith of
Christians. That in this Year of Faith
Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and
witness joyfully to the gift of faith in
him.
Reflection: What are some of the
signs of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;crisis of faithâ&#x20AC;?? How can
our faith help the Church respond
to crisis?
Mission intention: Middle Eastern
Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often
discriminated against, may receive
from the Holy Spirit the strength of
fidelity and perseverance.
Reflection: How are charity and
unity in my own parish community
a witness to the wider world that
peace will only come through reconciliation?
Provided by Apostleship of Prayer,
www.apostleshipofprayer.org.

JANUARY 2013 ■ 5

NEWEARTH

At St. Michael’s, 94 people
consecrate themselves
to Jesus through Mary

A parishioner
reflects on
consecration

By Father Neil Pfeifer

See story below

On Nov. 5, several members of St.
Michael’s Catholic Church in Grand
Forks started their 33-day preparation
for the Total Consecration to Jesus
through Mary by St. Louis Marie de
Montfort.
The saint described the consecration
in this way, “True devotion to Mary is
nothing more than the perfect and certain and shortest way to live our baptismal vows.”
Total consecration to Jesus is an absolutely beautiful exercise to increase
your spirituality and ability to truly
serve our Lord Jesus Christ. The basic
premise is simply that Jesus came into
the world through Mary and that for us
to always be assured of being close to
Jesus, even closer than ever before, we
should go through Mary.
St. Louis Marie de Montfort says that
consecration to Mary “consists in surrendering oneself in the manner of a
slave to Mary, and to Jesus through her,
and then performing all our actions
with Mary, in Mary, through Mary, and
for Mary.”
For some, this idea might seem
strange, and some might not understand what consecrating oneself means.
Consecration means to set something
aside for a sacred purpose. Mary’s life
was set aside for the sole purpose of serving our Lord. By following her example,
we, too, can completely give ourselves
to Christ in a fundamental way that
consecrates us to him. We give our lives
to him in service and love.
When we consecrate ourselves to the
Lord and his Blessed Mother, we become
more aware of their presence and devote
ourselves to them. The consecration
helps us grow in holiness and increase
our faith, hope and love.
It is a prayerful and focused method
of drawing closer to Jesus. Consecration
to Jesus through Mary according to the
method of St. Louis de Montfort is a
method used by Pope John Paul II as a
child. It forever changed his relationship
with our Lord.

The process of consecration
The consecration consists of a 33-day
period of prayerful preparation followed
by the actual act of consecration. During
the 33 days, there are different phases:
St. Louis Marie breaks the preparation
period into sections, each section having its own prayers, and each day having its own brief readings. The readings
come from Sacred Scripture, “The Imitation of Christ,” and “True Devotion
to the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
The goal is to make the prayers your
own by internalizing them; don’t let
your lips just mouth the prayers, truly
pray them.
First comes a 12-day preparation period that consists of emptying oneself
of the spirit of the world in penance
and mortification. For those 12 days,
we pray certain prayers like the Veni
Creator, the Ave Maris Stella, the Magnificat and the Glory Be.
Each of the following weeks has a specific focus.
The first week focuses on offering up
our prayers and devotions for the purpose of coming to understand ourselves

and our sins. Humility is the key, and
the prayers the Litany of the Holy Spirit,
the Litany of Loreto, and the Ave Maris
Stella help us.
During the second week, we ask the
Holy Spirit to help us better understand
the Blessed Virgin. We pray the Litany
of the Holy Spirit, the Litany of Loreto,
the Ave Maris Stella, the prayer to Mary
by St. Louis Marie, and five decades of
the Holy Rosary each day for assistance.
During the third week, we seek to
better understand Christ through meditation and the Litany of the Holy Spirit,
the Ave Maris Stella, and the Litany of
the Holy Name of Jesus, Montfort’s
prayer to Jesus, and the prayer O Jesus
Living in Mary.
Those who participated in the 33
days of preparation gathered for the
consecration after the 12:10 p.m. Mass
on Dec. 8, the feast of the Immaculate
Conception of Mary.
The object of this consecration is to
cast off the spirit of the world, which is
contrary to that of Jesus Christ, in order
to acquire fully the spirit of Jesus Christ
through the Blessed Virgin. The consecration consists of renewing your baptismal promises and praying a prayer
and signing your name that, from that
day forward, you will be a slave to Our
Lady, and follow the Lord.
By making this consecration to Mary,
you are placing yourself completely and
totally in her hands. You are giving her
permission to form you, discipline you,
and mold you into a true follower of
Christ.
Do not be afraid, because she loves
you. She will always take care of you,
and knows better than anybody how to
do so.

Living the consecration
Once you have consecrated yourself
to Jesus through Mary, live that consecration. St. Louis Marie recommended
the following:
■ Keep praying to develop a "great
contempt" for the spirit of this world.
■ Maintain a special devotion to the
Mystery of the Incarnation. You can do
so through meditation, spiritual reading,
and focusing on feasts centering around
the Incarnation. Some great references
are:
— The book titled “33 Days to Morning Glory,”
— 2 websites: newmanreader.org,
campus.udayton.edu/mary/library.html
■ Frequently recite the Hail Mary, the
Rosary, and the Magnificat.
■ Associate yourself with Mary in a
special way before, during, and after
Communion.
■ Renew the consecration once a year
on the same date, and by following the
same 33-day period of exercises. If desired, one can renew the consecration
monthly with the prayer, “I am all yours
and all I have is yours, O dear Jesus,
through Mary, Thy holy Mother.”
■ Wear the miraculous medal as an
outward sign and reminder of holy slavery. This practice is recommended by
St. Louis Marie.
Father Neil Pfeifer is parochial vicar at
St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Grand Forks.

Submitted photo

Father Neil Pfeifer at the candle-decorated Mary altar at St. Michael, Grand Forks.
By Kathy Leiberg

The date was Dec. 8, 2012. What a glorious day — the Feast of the Immaculate
Conception.
Immaculate? This word may mean “clean” or “to conceive” (as with a baby). Both
of these meanings go together to describe God’s idea of the perfect place for his son
to begin human life. Jesus needed a clean, perfectly clean, womb to grow in. God’s
concept or idea of this womb was in a young girl by the name of Mary.
Therefore her womb needed to be perfect. Thus, she was conceived in her own
mother’s womb as the first and perfect tabernacle, free from all original sin. From all
eternity God knew she was the one to be the mother of his son. She lived her entire
life free from sin and, thus, was prepared for bearing Jesus, who is perfection itself.
On Dec. 8 at St. Michael’s Church in Grand Forks, Father Neil Pfeifer celebrated
the Mass of Mary’s Immaculate Conception followed by a celebration for those who
had prayed the 33-day St. Louis Marie de Montfort Consecration to Jesus through
Mary. The celebration consisted of Marian songs, a short homily and the praying of
the consecration prayer together.
Each of the participants held a lit blue or white five-day candle, which was then
placed at the foot of Mary’s altar to burn until the celebration of the feast of Our
Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12. The area below the statue of Mary was made to look
like a grotto by the members of the Knights of Columbus. Father Pfeifer also blessed
the miraculous medals that each of us was given as we processed to Mary’s altar
with our candles.
At the front of the church near the Mary altar was a first class relic of St. Louis
Marie de Montfort, which was lent to the church for the celebration of the consecration. We had the opportunity to venerate the relic on our way to the grotto.
All of this tells us that Mary was not just the Mother of God who wrapped him in
swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger of hay. She was not just any young
Jewish girl, but was immaculate. She was the perfect one to bear this child and then
to receive the graces she needed to raise him and endure the pain of his passion and
death by being strong in doing the will of God. This also helps us to realize that
going to Jesus through Mary is the perfect way to pray. St. Louis Marie asks us to
pray the rosary each day so that we, too, can be made as strong as Mary to endure
our own struggles.
We at St. Michael’s are so thankful to Father Pfeifer for planning this blessed occasion and we look forward to the next such celebration. I recommend that all parishes
or individuals pray the 33-day Consecration of St. Louis de Montfort to Jesus through
Mary.
These books can be ordered free of charge from MyConsecration.org. You pay
only for shipping. You can also contact Ray Mooney at (718) 309-6126 to order the
books. This is a great Marian devotion that will bring us closer to our Lord Jesus
Christ, through and with our humble, loving and gentle Blessed Mother. This consecration comes highly recommended by many saints and by Blessed John Paul II
who said it changed his life. It can change your life as well.

God’s Gift

6 ■ JANUARY 2013

NEWEARTH

Thank you for your support of the 2012 God’s Gift Appeal
The goal for the 2012 God’s Gift Appeal was $2,669,436. As of Dec. 13, 2012, $2,828,051 was pledged.
Thank you to all who helped support vocations, sick and elderly priests,
evangelization efforts and the many other diocesan programs that serve parishes
and people throughout the Diocese of Fargo.
CITY

he week of Jan. 14 through 19 is the National
Week of Prayer for Vocations. What are you doing
for this important week? Do you wonder why it is
(or should be) important for you? Let me lay out a few
reasons for everyone — some will even apply to you!
Are you a teen or single young adult?
Then you need to know what God is planning for
you if you hope to have fullness of joy. You can have a
pretty good or fairly happy
life just by following your
heart, but if your heart is
broken, wounded, selfish,
or sinful — which it is —
then you will choose many
things that will actually
hurt you and others; you
will do many things that
hurt others and yourself.
Look at your family, friends,
and yourself as you grew
and you know it is true.
Are you already married?
Then you still need to
know what God is planning
for you if you hope to have
Only by
a joy-filled marriage and to
be a loving, faithful spouse
seeking God’s and parent. If you have
been married even a few
heart, God’s
months, you begin to realplan, and the ize how selfish you are and
how your spouse and chillife of the Holy dren can disappoint you.
know you do not alSpirit can we You
ways act out of love for
them but can be selfish and
find the
hurtful, too. You also want
fullness of joy to witness and inspire your
children to know God’s
that God
love and the joy of loving
You want better
promises us in others.
than a mediocre marriage
and family for them and for
His Word.
yourself.
Are you recently “single”
Father Kurtis Gunwall
again, divorced and annulled or widowed; or have you lived as a single but are
now a not-so-“young” adult?
God has a plan for you to make a difference in the
lives of others — whether you have children or not.
There are too many glum and angry people in the world
— that is never God’s plan. You are called to be joyful
sons and daughters of the light. Have you considered
that in your “freedom” as a single person, you can serve
God and all his children in a special way? Take time to
seek and to know the ever new plans of God.

“

”

O

nly by seeking God’s heart, God’s plan, and the life
of the Holy Spirit can we find the fullness of joy
that God promises us in His Word. Wholehearted seeking will lead you to your vocation.
Do you love to solve problems?
God will use that.
Do you love to create?
God will use that.
Do you love to serve?
God will use that.
Do you love to work or teach or ponder or perform
whatever desire that God has placed on your heart?
God will use that for His glory and your joy!
As I travel around the diocese preaching on vocations,
I constantly share a Prayer for Vocations (right) distributed by the Knights of Columbus.
It includes prayer for Consecrated lives, religious and
those who commit themselves to the love of God and
neighbor; ordained, diaconate and priesthood; married
couples witnessing God’s love for the Church; and every
baptized person seeking to love and serve God.
So take one minute to pray from your heart the accompanying Prayer for Vocations every day this week
(and keep praying it throughout this Year of Faith).
Father Gunwall is Vocation Director for the Diocese of Fargo
and can be reached at (701) 356-7957.

Prayer for Vocations
Heavenly Father, call many holy young people to consecrated life for the sake of your kingdom.
Call an abundance of virtuous men to serve in ordained ministry, as laborers for your harvest. Call
numerous others to faithful, chaste and fruitful love in the sacrament of marriage, as signs and witnesses of Christ’s love for his Church. Through baptism you have called all your children, in whatever
state of life, to love and serve you. Fill us with your Holy Spirit and grant us each the grace to follow
you in perfect obedience and charity. With Mary and Joseph as our models and intercessors, we
ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sometimes bumps in the road lead us to our vocation
Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of articles
from our seminarians whose home parish is St. Cecilia’s in
Harvey.
By Paul Kuhn

Hi! My name is Paul Kuhn, seminarian number two
from St. Cecilia’s in Harvey, and studying for the Fargo
Diocese.
The first time I initially thought about the priesthood
was the fall of my senior year of high school. Robert
Keller and I attended a Teens Encounter Christ retreat
and, for whatever reason, I remember telling God I
would like to be married and serve the Church as a
deacon if he was not calling me to be a priest.
After graduating from high school in May of 2005 I
began my college career in Bismarck. While living in
Bismarck I worked as a manager at a Blockbuster video
store considering various careers, such as probation

officer, social worker, psychologist or teacher. After an
unsuccessful two years I moved to Fargo.
The move began in the summer of 2007, adventuring into one of the greatest programs our diocese has
to offer for youth — Young Disciples. Once Young Disciples drew to an end, I settled down in Fargo while
attending classes at Moorhead State Community and
Technical College in Moorhead, Minn., focusing on
radiology technology.
In my free time, I was semi-involved at St. Paul’s
Newman Center at North Dakota State University, being introduced to Fellowship of Catholic University
Students and participating in a couple of Bible studies.
After another unsuccessful attempt at college I was
ready to enter the Air Force full-time and complete
my degree in radiology technology. However, God
would have other plans.
Around this same time, one evening near the end

of daily Mass, I remember asking myself, “Do you still
ever think about the priesthood and seminary?” It is
basically history from that point forward. I entered
seminary formation in August of 2008, studying at
Cardinal Muench Seminary and North Dakota State
University.
Two years after beginning seminary formation in
Fargo I received news of the future closing of CMS.
Near the end of the 2009-2010 academic school year,
I was asked to transfer to Mount St. Mary’s Seminary
and University in Emmitsburg, Md. I completed my
undergraduate degree in philosophy, graduating from
the Mount on Mother’s Day, May 13, 2012. Currently
I am a first year theologian at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary.
So, from the Dakota plains back out to the East
Coast Mountain Range, may you and yours have a
blessed and peaceful new year!

10 ■ JANUARY 2013

NEWEARTH

Jan. 22 observance:
Day of prayer for the legal protection of unborn children
Continued from page 1
In the Gospel of Life, Blessed John
Paul II exhorts us to “Walk as children
of light… and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness (Eph. 5:8, 1011).” We are called to counter the
culture of death with our works of love
and life.
The works of a culture of life are ones
that RESPECT the dignity of every human person and include a united effort
of prayer for the transformation of
hearts and minds; LOVE the woman
who finds herself in an unplanned pregnancy and cares for the needs of the
vulnerable and weak; PROMOTES the
right to life of the unborn child and affirms women and families through educational, legislative and social initiatives.
Across our nation Jan. 22 is recognized as a “Day of Prayer for the Legal
Protection of Unborn Children.” Tom
Grenchik, Executive Director of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, invites individuals and parishes to join in a Nine
Days of Prayer, Penance and Pilgrimage
from Jan. 19 to 27 to prepare for and
participate in the annual observance.
These nine days surrounding the Roe v.
Wade anniversary are focused on the
theme of pilgrimage and are part of a

These news items, compiled by Dorothy
Duchschere, were found in issues of the
Diocese of Fargo newspaper, New Earth,
and its predecessor, Catholic Action News.

January
50 years ago — 1963
Six new building projects are planned
for 1963 with construction expected to
start this year. Two additional building
projects are in the planning stage with
start of construction possible this year.
Presently under construction are: new
church and social hall, church of the
Holy Spirit, Fargo; new church, rectory
and social-catechetical center, St. John
the Evangelist, Grafton; new rectory and
catechetical center, St. Boniface, Esmond; new convent for Sisters of St.
Joseph, who teach at St. Mary’s and St.
Michael’s grade schools and St. James
High School, Grand Forks.

20 years ago — 1993
Presentation Sister Paula Ringuette,
president of the North Dakota Confer-

nationwide pastoral initiative sponsored
by the United States Conference of
Catholic Bishops Pro-Life Secretariat.
During the 9-day period between Jan.
19 and 27, a simple novena will be available electronically with daily prayer intentions for the healing and conversion
of our nation, for elected officials who
support abortion, and for all people
whose lives have forever been changed
by an abortion. This youth-friendly
novena will assist actual pilgrims, as well
as those participating from their
parishes and homes via social media/
text messages/emails, with a web-link
to the day’s prayers and activities. Each
day will include: an intercession; simple
prayers; a very brief reflection on the
saint of the day or a lesson from the
daily readings; suggestions for concrete
acts of prayer, penance and charity; and
a powerful myth/reality comment related to abortion.
To find out more about the Nine Days
of Prayer, Penance and Pilgrimage, go
to www.usccb.org/9days. Here you can
sign up to personally receive the daily
prayers and suggestions, and learn how
to promote these prayers and activities
in your parish or organization.
Rachelle Sauvageau is director of the
Respect Life Office.

ence of Churches, presented Bishop
James Sullivan a plaque recognizing the
late Bishop Justin Driscoll and the late
Father David Schmidt for their work in
ecumenism. The Jan. 18 ceremony
marked the conference’s first annual ecumenism awards. Sister Paula is executive director of the North Dakota
Catholic Conference.

10 years ago — 2003
Bishop Samuel Aquila participated in
the dedication of a new ultrasound machine at an open house at the AAA Pregnancy Clinic on Jan. 12. As a result of a
recent fundraising campaign, the clinic
was able to purchase a new state-of-theart ultrasound machine, an upgrade
from the machine that had been donated to the clinic in 1997. Donors to
the campaign were many Catholic
churches and youth groups, including
Sullivan Middle School and Shanley
High School of Fargo. Father James Cheney of Cooperstown assisted with the
campaign.

Decades of diocesan periodicals
now preserved at Shanley library
While Father John Shanley was pastor of the Cathedral parish in St. Paul, Minn.,
he also was the editor of “The Northwestern Chronicle,” founded in 1872 as the
first Catholic newspaper in the area.
It took him almost 20 years after he became the first Bishop of Fargo to continue
his journalistic endeavors when, as editor and chief contributor, he began publication
in March 1909 of a diocesan monthly newspaper, “The Bulletin of the Diocese of
Fargo.” Unfortunately his untimely death occurred in July of that same year.
His successor, Bishop James O’Reilly, was not journalistically inclined and soon
discontinued this monthly. He employed “The Catholic Bulletin,” the recently established weekly newspaper of
the Archdiocese of St. Paul, as
the news medium for the Fargo
Diocese.
“The Catholic Bulletin” regularly ran news items for each
diocese of the entire province
(Minnesota, North Dakota,
South Dakota and, in the early
days, also Montana) on page
five during the years 1911
through 1928. During this period a diocesan correspondent
was in charge of supplying
Fargo news to the “Bulletin”
editors in St. Paul.

O

ne of the most reliable
Fargo diocesan news correspondents during much of
this period was Father Vincent
Ryan (later Bishop of Bismarck). After 1928 news about
these other dioceses in the
province appeared only occasionally. Through the kindness
of the editors of “The Catholic
Bulletin” the Cardinal Muench
Seminary library staff was given
permission to spend a great
deal of time in their archives Bound copies of the publications of the Diocese of Fargo
— 46 volumes worth — are stored in the library at Shanley
in St. Paul photographing
High School in a bookcase built by a local craftsman,
copies of the articles pertaining Ordean Swensen. The wood for this bookcase came from
to the Diocese of Fargo. These the original large wooden front doors of Cardinal Muench
copies were then printed and Seminary.
bound.
“Confraternity News” was published in the Fargo Diocese in 1937 and1938 by Father William T. Mulloy (later Bishop of Covington, Ky.) while he was pastor at St.
John the Evangelist in Grafton; this publication was printed in Edgeley, by Father
Victor Long.
In January 1939, still under the direction of Father Mulloy, the name of the publication was changed, at the suggestion of Bishop Aloisius Muench, to “Catholic Action News.”
Other early well-known editors were Father George Mehok and Father William
Durkin. In October of 1980, under the editorship of Deacon Mathias Lanz (later
Father Lanz), the name changed to “New Earth.”

A

bout 10 years ago the library staff at Cardinal Muench Seminary, under the direction of librarian John Nowacki, began the process of finding, copying, indexing
and making available for education and research these publications.
They have been bound at the seminary in 46 volumes and were kept in the seminary library in a bookcase built by a local craftsman, Ordean Swensen. The wood
for this bookcase came from the original large wooden front doors of the seminary.
Although Cardinal Muench Seminary closed its doors over a year ago, this project
has finally been completed recently through the efforts of Father Leo Stelten and
Father Andrew Jasinski.
Thus these records of Fargo diocesan history, begun by Bishop John Shanley in
1909, have now been very fittingly moved to the Shanley High School library in
south Fargo, where we hope they will be of use for years to come.

As a member agency of Catholic
Charities USA (CCUSA), Catholic Charities North Dakota is able to take
advantage of many valuable outreach
efforts of the national agency such as
the support they offer to parishes in developing their social ministry programs.
I had the opportunity to attend “Social Ministry Regional Training: Responding to Need and Injustice as an
Expression of Our Faith” last fall in the
St. Cloud Diocese and was extremely

impressed with the experience I gained
there. I learned about this training
through my participation in the social
justice committee of Catholic Charities
North Dakota, but anyone is welcome
to attend a training session.
When I became the social justice coordinator at Nativity Church in Fargo
four-and-a-half years ago, I joined a wellestablished program. The social justice
commission met regularly, 4 percent of
each Sunday’s adult envelopes helped
support a dozen organizations each
month, and commitment to social

justice was an integral part of parish life.
I came away from this training both
inspired and affirmed by dynamic national speakers from CCUSA. I met a variety of people including deacons-intraining, college students, parishioners
with many years of experience in promoting social justice, and those who
hoped to begin programs in their home
parishes. The resources that were made
available to me through CCUSA were
outstanding, helpful for people at all
levels of experience with social ministry.
I share this information in the hope

that those who would like to begin social ministry programs, expand their
programs or re-energize their programs
might make use of these user-friendly,
low-cost (and often free) materials available through Catholic Charities.
Check out their website at www.
CatholicCharitiesUSA.org or contact
Larry Bernhardt, Executive Director at
Catholic Charities North Dakota at
(701) 235-4457. Locally, you can see
what CCND is up to at www.catholic
charitiesnd.org under the “News”
tab.

Commentary

NEWEARTH

JANUARY 2013 ■ 11

We must work for a better
society, more peaceful world

H

uman persons are rational creaAdam Lanza himself was not evil. A pertures. Our ability to reason is one
son’s act can be evil even if the person
of the gifts of God that makes
is not.
us created in His image. We are problem
By most accounts, Adam Lanza sufsolvers.
fered from a mental illness, which was
the case for the perpetrators in most of
Our capacity to solve, however, is limthe recent mass shootited by our fallen state.
ings. He might have
We cannot create a perlacked the mental capacfect society.
ity to fully appreciate
Ultimately, the queswhat he was doing. Only
tions raised by the NewGod will know the truth.
town shooting are theoWhat we do know is that
logical because they
mental illness distorts a
concern the existence of
person’s sense of reality
evil in our world. Even if
and impairs their cogniwe might find answers
tive abilities.
through Revelation, we
For that reason we
are incapable of creating
should exercise caution
a solution that eliminates
when trying to find a
all evil.
grand cause for Lanza’s
Recognizing this truth
actions.
does not mean that we
Yes, we live in a culture
should resign to evil and
Christopher Dodson
of death where killing
never try to create a more
children by abortion has
just and peaceful world.
become acceptable by many.
God made us problem solvers for a reaYes, our schools and public places
son.
have been forcibly secularized. We
The appropriate response of a Chrisshould not, however, be so bold to claim
tian lies between resignation and hubris.
that these trends directly caused the
We are obligated to work for a better sokillings in Newtown. Such claims rest
ciety while recognizing our limits as huon the assumption that Lanza acted raman persons.
tionally, which we know is unlikely. PutThese are important lessons to reting prayer in public schools and remember when addressing any issue, but
specting unborn human life may help
they are particularly crucial when recreate a better society but, short of
sponding to events as shocking as the
knowing the will of God in His provikillings in Newtown, Conn.
dence, we cannot say they would have
stopped Adam Lanza.
roposals to prevent similar incidents
in the future have ranged from deo what can we, as humans, do to try
creasing access to guns to increasing the
to prevent another such incident?
presence of guns in schools, from reThe United States Conference of
forming our mental health care system
Catholic Bishops, drawing on stateto putting prayer back in public schools.
ments by the Vatican and its own past
Some of the proposals might crop up
positions, has called for legislators to:
during the North Dakota legislative ses1. Support measures that control the
sion. Others are certain to appear in the
sale and use of firearms;
U.S. Congress.
2. Support measures that make guns
Before looking at some of these prosafer (especially efforts that prevent their
posals, we should get a few things
unsupervised use by children and anystraight.
one other than the owner);
What Adam Lanza did at Sandy Hook
3. Call for sensible regulations of
Elementary was evil. It cannot be exhandguns;
plained away as solely the consequence
4. Support legislative efforts that seek
of biology, psychology, economics, famto protect society from the violence asily situations or laws. At the same time,

Catholic Action

P

S

CNS photo/Carlo Allegri, Reuters

Crosses are seen in the snow Jan. 2 as part of a makeshift memorial in Newtown, Conn. Hundreds
of children who escaped the harrowing attack on Sandy Hook Elementary School in December returned to classes for the first time Jan. 3 since a gunman killed 20 of their schoolmates and six
staff members.

“What Adam Lanza did at Sandy Hook Elementary
was evil. It cannot be explained away as solely the
consequence of biology, psychology, economics,
family situations or laws.

”

sociated with easy access to deadly
weapons including assault weapons;
5. Make a serious commitment to
confront the pervasive role of addiction
and mental illness in crime.
The proposals concerning guns are
controversial and differences in regional
and cultural attitudes toward guns will
make federal legislation difficult to
achieve.
Confronting mental illness should be
less controversial. A serious commitment, however, will require insurance
reform, changes in attitudes, better government services, and striking a balance
between those who fight all forms of

civil commitments and those who
would use institutionalization as a solution to problems that could be better
addressed in community settings.
Let’s hope that serious attention is
given to improving our attitudes, policies and options when it comes to caring
for those with mental health needs.
As the bishops wrote in their response
to the Newtown shootings: “There is no
shame in seeking help for oneself or
others; the only shame is in refusing to
provide care and support.”
Christopher Dodson is executive director of
the North Dakota Catholic Conference. Visit
ndcatholic.org.

Charitable benefits of American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012

O

n Jan. 1, 2013, both the Senate
and House passed the American
Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012
(ATRA). The bill resolved the “fiscal cliff”
and includes a number of provisions
that will be favorable for philanthropy
and charitable giving.
Fortunately, some of the proposals
such as caps on charitable deductions
or limits on tax savings from charitable
gifts were not enacted. Because the general trend of the bill is to create higher
tax rates for upper-income taxpayers,
the benefits of charitable giving will be
obvious to many people.

IRA Charitable Rollover

Since 2006, IRA owners age 70½ and
older have been able to make a qualified
charitable distribution (QCD) up to
$100,000 each year. ATRA extends and
expands this option for 2012 and 2013.
The following is an explanation:
First, some individuals in 2012 made

QCDs directly from their IRA custodian
of 2013, they will not report the IRA
to charities with the hope that the law
distribution as income. Effectively, the
would be retroactive. These QCDs are
Dec. 2012 RMD is converted to a Januqualified retroactive to
ary QCD that qualifies
Jan. 1, 2012.
for 2012.
Second, individuals
Individual
who did not make a
Income Tax Rates
QCD in 2012 can do so
on Ordinary Income
during January of 2013.
This is similar to 2011,
The existing tax brackwhen it was possible to
ets of 10%, 15%, 25%,
do a QCD for the prior
28%, 33% and 35% will
year in January and a secbe extended. There is a
ond QCD in the remainnew 39.6% bracket for
ing 11 months of the
married persons with
year.
$450,000 of taxable income, heads of houseThird, many individuhold with $425,000 and
als had hoped to do
single persons with
a QCD in 2012, but in
$400,000 of taxable inDecember of 2012 reSteve Schons
come.
ceived their IRA required
minimum distribution
Long-Term Capital Gains
(RMD). If these individuals transfer
those funds to charity during January
The capital gains rate of 0% for those

Stewardship

in the 10% and 15% bracket and 15%
for those in higher brackets will be extended. However, individuals who are
subject to the 39.6% tax bracket will
have a 20% capital gain rate. In addition, because capital gains for those with
incomes over $250,000 married or
$200,000 single will be subject to the
3.8% Medicare tax, the capital gains rate
for upper-income persons will be 23.8%.
Gift and Estate Taxes

Marital portability and the $5 million
(with indexed increases) applicable exclusion amount for gift and estate taxes
are made permanent. For 2013, the expected IRS ruling will set the applicable
exclusion amount at $5.25 million. The
top rate for gift and estate taxes is 40%.
For more information, please call
Steve at (701) 356-7926 or email
steve.schons@fargodiocese.org.
Steve Schons is director of stewardship and
development for the Diocese of Fargo.

12 ■ NOVEMBER 2012

NEWEARTH

Father Schill hosting
Holy Land pilgrimage
Join Father Damien Schill on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land Sept. 8-17.
The cost is $4,279 leaving from Minneapolis or $3,999 leaving from New
York. Special pre-tour option to Jordan,
Amman, Petra, Kerak, Maeleba, Mt.
Nebo and Jerash, Sept. 5-9, at $1,398
per person.
For more information, please call
Rinda or Samantha at 1-800-206-8687
or visit www.pilgrimages.com/frschill.

Events around the diocese
For more events throughout the diocese, visit
www.fargodiocese.org/events.

man Center, Fargo. Visit www.bison
Catholic.org.

Jan. 17 (Thursday): Dining with the
Word of God, 6:15 p.m., St. Paul Newman Center, Fargo. Father Boucher will
explore the book of Exodus. Visit
www.fargodiocese.org/wordofgod.

Jan. 22-27 (Tuesday-Sunday): Students
grades 9 to12 from across the diocese
will participate in the 40th annual
March for Life in Washington, D.C.

thony’s, Fargo. Supper at 5:30 p.m., presentation beginning at 6:30 p.m. See
page 4A.
Feb. 7 (Thursday): Luncheon with
Patrick Madrid, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.,
Sts. Anne and Joachim, Fargo. See
page 4.
Feb. 8-10 (Friday-Sunday): The Vocation
Office will host a discernment weekend
for men 16 years and older who are discerning a vocation to the priesthood.
See page 13.
To submit events for New Earth and
the diocesan website, mail them to New
Earth, 5201 Bishops Blvd., Suite A, Fargo,
ND 58104-7605 or email news@fargodio
cese.org. The deadline for February 2013’s
New Earth is Jan. 23, 2013.

HIGH SCHOOL
PRINCIPAL
Sacred Heart Catholic School
in East Grand Forks, MN, is seeking a
High School Principal starting August 15, 2013.
Send current resume with references to:
Fr. Larry Delaney
Sacred Heart School
200 3rd St. NW
East Grand Forks, MN 56721
PSC@SACREDHEARTEGF.NET
(218) 773-0877

f there is one truth that I have been
most reminded and convicted of
this semester, it is that stories are
powerful.
I had heard this from various talks by
author Matthew Kelly, as well as the
founder of FOCUS, Curtis Martin.
Yet, as I look back at
the past few months, I
have to admit that stories
are extremely important,
most especially when
they are stories about the
love that God has for his
children.
For example, just before Christmas we spent
a night with our student
missionaries at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Student missionaries
are college students who
are committed to growKristen Vetter
ing in personal holiness
and being leaders on
campus by leading Bible studies and
working with their peers in one-on-one
discipleship.
We have just over 30 of these students
now at UMD!
At our monthly meeting with all of
them, we split into groups of four and
each student was asked to share their
five-minute testimony (their story of
how they met Jesus Christ).
Some of our students have given up
lives of partying, unchaste relationships,
and other serious sin.
Others have always been practicing
Catholics, but are now on-fire rather
than just lukewarm. It was so great to
listen to these stories, each beautiful in
their own way.

FOCUS

B

eing a missionary has also given me
an opportunity to share my story
with the students I am meeting.
At my final Bible study of the semester,
we were talking about the importance
of sharing our stories. Bible study is usually an hour long and my group rarely

struggles to fill the time.
This particular week, after a great discussion, my clock showed that there
were still 20 minutes left.
I instantly knew why: God wanted me
to share my story with these girls, to
show them what we had
just discussed. So I did. It
was so good to be reminded of how God has
drawn me close to him by
sharing my story with my
study group.
Just as our own stories
can be powerful witnesses
to the reality of God’s
love, so too is his story.

Diocesan Vocation Office to offer Vianney
Discernment Weekend in Valley City
Feb. 8-10 for men 16 and older
The Vocation Office of the Diocese of Fargo is sponsoring a Vianney Discernment Weekend at Maryvale Convent in Valley City for men 16 years and older
who are discerning a vocation to the priesthood. The weekend, which will be
Feb. 8-10, allows men the opportunity to pray, reflect and discuss the possibility
of answering Jesus’ call to be a priest.
There is no cost, but pre-registration is required.
For more information or to register, call Father Kurtis Gunwall, Vocation
Director, at (701) 356-7956 or email him at vocations@fargodiocese.org.

T

he week before finals,
I was on-campus for
discipleship with one of
the women I’m working
with.
As we began in meditative prayer, reading
through the story of Christ’s birth, a professor came over and asked if he could
join us.
I read through St. Luke’s account of
the Nativity (see Luke 2:1-20), and then
led us in prayer, meditating on the role
of the shepherds that first Christmas.
After we finished, we had a great discussion with this professor, who shared
that he is Catholic, too.
He said that his family was beginning
their own Christmas tradition and would
possibly include that beautiful story in
it. How incredible! He was drawn to join
us just by hearing the beauty of God’s
word.
Never doubt the power of your story,
or that of our heavenly father.
That story might be the one that helps
another person realize the truth of God’s
love for us and that God is actively pursuing each and every one of us.
Kristen Vetter is a Fargo native and 2008
graduate of Shanley High School. She
received her college education at North
Dakota State University.

God’s Blessings to you during this month
dedicated to the Most Holy Name of Jesus

Now Hiring...
Catholic United Financial is hiring a
regional manager in the Fargo area
Join us in our success
The last 3 years have been record sales years for Catholic United
Financial. We’re looking for a successful individual to help us
expand in the Fargo area by managing an existing team of
Sales Professionals, and building that team into a sales powerhouse.
Thomas Schisler, CLF, FICF, LUTCF
Director of Sales

Read more at www.catholicunited.org/links/careers
Requirements:
t bachelor’s degree or five years of
management experience in a financial
services environment
t prior experience with recruiting and
training of sales representatives

t must have producer’s license
t ability to effectively present information
and respond to questions from groups
of managers, clients, customers, and the
general public.

Give A Gift to Help Keep the TV Mass on the Air!
The best gift for those you love who are nursing home residents,
shut-ins, or non-practicing Catholics
WDAY, Channel 6, Fargo — WDAZ, Channel 8, Grand Forks
10:30 a.m. Sunday
Name ____________________________________________________________________________
Address ___________________________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________________________
Phone_____________________________________________________________________________
A GIFT FOR:
Name ____________________________________________________________________________
Address ___________________________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________________________

“I support the TV Mass because it was an important part of my
mother’s life. My husband and I would sometimes watch it with
her. I’m thankful that the TV Mass was there for her.”
— Helen Bye, Fargo

Or, IN MEMORY OF:
Name ____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
I would like this listed at the end of the TV Mass on this date(s): ____________________________
MAIL TO: TV Mass, Diocese of Fargo, 5201 Bishops Blvd., Suite A, Fargo, ND 58104-7605

14 ■ JANUARY 2013

NEWEARTH

Scholarship fund donations assist seminarians and priests
Several donors faithfully support the education of our seminarians and priests through their gifts to the Scholarship
Fund.
The Scholarship Fund consists of restricted contributions, of which only the income may be used, and only for the
purpose stated. All income from scholarships is restricted for the use of funding candidates to the priesthood who are
completing required seminary education, and to supplement education of priests currently serving the diocese.
Contributions to the scholarships are vital to the support of the diocese and your future priests. Without this aid,
many of our young men would not be able to discern their vocation. In addition to providing for the education of
priests, contributions are a wonderful memorial to the men and women (priests, religious and laity) who have served
the Catholic Church.
To donate, mail your gift to: Scholarship Fund, Diocese of Fargo, 5201 Bishops Blvd., Suite A, Fargo, ND 58104-7605
or call (701) 356-7930.
SCHOLARSHIPS

Drake couple celebrates
60 years
Adeline (Dorscher) and Daniel Ludwig
recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They were married at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Drake on
Nov. 5, 1952. They have resided in Drake
ever since.
The couple has four children: Michael
(Pam) of Monticello, Minn.; Gary (Linda)
of Starbuck, Minn.; Debbie (Doug) Duncan
of Grangeville, Idaho; and Bruce (Linda)
of LeMars, Iowa. They have eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Share life’s milestones
As a way to celebrate life and love,
we encourage parishioners throughout the Diocese of Fargo to send photos of anniversaries of 60 or more
years, or birthdays of 80 or more
years, to New Earth, Diocese of Fargo,
5201 Bishops Blvd., Ste. A, Fargo, ND
58104-7605 or news@fargodiocese.
org.

News briefs from
Devils Lake
■ St. Joseph’s parish in Devils Lakes is
experiencing something few parishes in
the diocese or even the world can claim –
that is they have welcomed back their previous pastor. Five years
ago, Father Chad Wilhelm was called to be
pastor at St. Mary’s
Cathedral in Fargo. St.
Joseph’s had the honor
to then welcome Father
Dale Kinzler for the
next five years. In May,
Father Kinzler announced he had been
assigned to St. George
Father Wilhelm
in Cooperstown and
that Father Wilhelm was asked to return
to St. Joseph’s. Welcome back Father Wilhelm.
■ St. Joseph’s Knights of Columbus held
their annual patriotic Mass in November.
It is a Mass to remind us that we should
be loyal to God first, but also loyal to our
community and to our country. There are
adult servers at this Mass. They were Kyle
Ternes, Pius Kraft, Dennis Schwab and Ken
Severinson. Ken is currently in the diaconate program. Father Wilhelm said their
service was a good example for the youth
of the parish.
■ St. Joseph’s held a meeting to discuss
end of life issues in November. Father Wilhelm discussed cremation, guidelines for
a Catholic funeral, and making Catholic
decisions with regards to death and dying.
Stephanie Armstrong from Gilbertson Funeral Home discussed how to plan a funeral choosing Scripture and songs appropriate for a Catholic funeral. Tom Traynor,
an attorney, discussed the advantages of
having a will and other legal issues. Approximately 100 people attended the
meeting.

JANUARY 2013 ■ 15

NEWEARTH

St. John’s, New Rockford, to observe
centennial of St. James Academy

Children host a Christmas program

Alumni of St. James Academy, New
Rockford, are invited to join St. John’s
Parish in observing 100 years since the
founding of the academy.
The academy was established in 1913
under the leadership of Father Pare, pastor of St. John’s parish.
The academy didn’t open its doors to
students until January 1914, when the
Sisters of the Presentation from Fargo invested in teaching and administering the
school in New Rockford.
Even though St. James high school
closed in 1971, and St. James grade
school closed in 1990, there is every reason to celebrate the many years the academy and the Presentation Sisters served
the many students who proudly call
themselves “Alumni of St. James Academy.”
A Mass of Thanksgiving will be held
on Sunday, June 30, 11 a.m., at St. John’s
Submitted photo

On Dec. 16, children of the tri-parishes of Sts. Peter and Paul, Bechyne; St. Joseph, Lankin, and
St. John, Pisek, put on a Christmas program in Pisek titled “Mary Did you Know.” Pictured as
Mary is Jaylie Jelinek and Connor Hodek as Joseph.

Invitation to adoration
Come and see our new adoration chapel before it is blessed!
What: Our Lady of Guadalupe Adoration Chapel Open House
Where: Cathedral of St. Mary, Fargo
When: Sunday, Feb. 10
Time: 12 to 5 p.m.
On Feb. 11, 24-hour adoration will begin after the altar is dedicated. Anyone
willing to commit to a weekly hour of adoration at the new chapel can call
Cindy, head coordinator, at (701) 232-5985, or Marilyn, co-coordinator, at (701)
347-4031, home, or (701) 261-5051, cell.

Church.
Former priests and sisters who have
served St. James Academy are especially
invited to be part of this festive occasion,
as well as any and all alumni who wish
to be part of the celebration.
A short program will be held in the
church after the Mass, followed by a meal
served to all guests and parishioners in
attendance.
All alumni and former staff are also invited to a social and time to remember
on Saturday evening, June 29, hosted by
the local Knights of Columbus.
There will be more details on the time
and place of these two events, and how
to register for them in future issues of
New Earth.
For now, St. James Alumni are asked
to put this weekend of June 29-30 on
your calendar and make plans now to
join the celebration.

Father Joe Barrett to speak on prison ministry
Father Joe Barrett, parochial vicar for
St. James Basilica, Jamestown, and
chaplain at the James River Correctional
Center, will share his experiences of
prison ministry during a presentation at
7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 11 at St. James
Basilica.
Father Barrett came to the Fargo Diocese in 2005 after studying at Holy
Apostles Seminary in Cromwell, Conn.
His first assignment included ministering
to those imprisoned.
“These are special people with particular needs and challenges,” Father Barrett
explained.

Deacon Jim McAllister, Sanborn, and
Deacon Carl Orthman, Valley City, will
join Father Barrett in
a panel to present
some of those challenges and explain the
different programs
and opportunities including Residents Encounter Christ (REC) Father Joe Barrett
and the week-to-week
involvement with the prisoners.
The public is welcome to attend this
free presentation.

Ramada Plaza Suites, Fargo

16 ■ JANUARY 2013

NEWEARTH

Peru:

Mission experience to a different world
Reprinted with permission from The
Napoleon Homestead and edited for New
Earth.
By Jessica Wald

When 13 people traveled to Chimbote, Peru, for a mission trip, their eyes
were opened to a whole “different”
world.
Jim, Bailey and Jacob Bitz, Steve, Lori,
Kayla and Matthew Gross, Terry and
Kali Schwartzenberger, Bruce Wentz,
and Father Don Leiphon, all of
Napoleon; Jim Schmidt of Kintyre, and
Mary Brooks of Montana began their
journey on Nov. 20 and stayed in Peru
through the Thanksgiving holiday until
Nov. 27.
After the group’s flight to Lima, Peru,
which is the capital of Peru with nine
million people, they were taken on a
seven-hour bus ride to Chimbote.
“It was a really great experience;
something everyone should witness. It’s
like it’s a whole different world down
there,” said missionary Matthew Gross,
a sophomore in high school.
A group consensus was that the trip
was overwhelming. “I knew there would
be poor people, but not for miles and
miles and miles,” said Jim Bitz. He noted
the city has a 70 percent unemployment
rate and everyone has very little. “It’s a
different way of life,” he said.

T

he mission group’s main purpose
was to help build houses, do mission
work and experience the culture.
The mission in Chimbote is run by
Father Jack Davis, a retired priest of the
Fargo Diocese. For 37 years, he has operated the mission, which provides education, healthcare, social programs and
transformation programs for the Peruvians. Father Jack employs 112 people
and it takes around $17,000 a week to
remain open.
While the group stayed in a dormitory that had no hot water, except to
shower, and a toilet which couldn’t handle toilet paper because of the sewer system, they learned a few things about
how some of the Peruvians live and
work every day.
Most houses are made of bamboo
poles and hystera, which is equivalent
to cat tails, and only last 3 to 5 years.
Floors are made of dirt. There is no indoor plumbing and water is warmed by
placing it in basins under the sun. There
are not many insects, but cockroaches
crawl everywhere. There are as many
dogs, even in church, as there are people.
The group also noticed clothes drying
on old electrical wires because there are
no clothes lines.
Terry Schwartzenberger said what
amazed him the most was that garbage
was scattered everywhere on the dirt
streets. “It reminds me of the photos I
would see on the nightly news when
reports were being broadcast from
Vietnam.”

O

ne house the group helped build
was for a 17-year-old girl. Her parents abandoned her, leaving three
younger siblings as her responsibility.
“It made me realize how I sometimes
get upset when I’m asked to babysit my
younger siblings because I have something else to do, while this girl has a lot
to worry about like not going to college
and raising her siblings,” said sophomore missionary Bailey Bitz.

The group learned that guinea pig is
a delicacy in Chimbote and they were
able to try it if they wanted. Besides the
look of the guinea pig (head and all
fours still attached), Matthew Gross said,
“It was pretty good; like chicken but a
little chewier.” Bailey also noted they
were able to try seveche, raw fish marinated in lemon, lime and onions.
While in Peru, the group experienced
the end of the spring season, with temperatures of 70 to 75 degrees. They
noted it was very dusty, as it only rains
“maybe every seven years.”
The average salary of a Peruvian, if
they have a job, is $6 a day. The group
said not a lot of men work, as the
women are usually out in the fields,
which are irrigated.
With Chimbote located right along
the Pacific Ocean, fishing is one of the
higher-paying jobs, but due to over fishing the area, few jobs are available.
“I was amazed at their attitudes; they
get up every day just to survive,” commented Jim. “It makes you evaluate
what’s important.”

O

Submitted photos

While on a mission trip to Chimbote, Peru, James Schmidt (middle) of Kintyre poses with a Peruvian
child who is standing in line with other children and mothers who were waiting their turn to select a
piece of clothing after cleaning up around the outside of the compound. The mission in Chimbote is run
by Father Jack Davis, a retired priest of the Fargo Diocese. For 37 years Father Davis has operated the
mission, which provides education, healthcare, social programs and transformation programs for the
Peruvians.

n Saturday mornings 150 women
gather to clean the mission grounds. In return
they receive goods
(mostly clothing), which
are donated and given
away after the women
choose a number and
then an item in numerical order.
“I left most of my
clothes there; I realized
they need them more,”
added Bailey.
The group said many
people in Chimbote
take great pride in their
animals so they can sell
them for the Peru currency: soles.
In American dollars,
$2.50 is equivalent to Jacob Bitz sits on a bed frame which was assembled prior to delivery to the needy in Chimbote while Matthew Gross,
one sole.
Kali Schwartzenberger, Father Don Leiphon, Bailey Bitz and Jim Bitz are in the background. All are from Napoleon.
Father Don Leiphon
said Chimbote has the “most efficient
and productive space” he has ever seen,
as many things such as animals are in
free spaces.
“There are a lot of dogs and animals
everywhere. You don’t know if they are
owned or wild. There were donkeys randomly walking the streets,” said sophomore Kali Schwartzenberger.
Lori Gross said one of the most touching moments was when some of the
group delivered a stove, which was similar to a camping stove, to a family who
had only stones and an open flame. She
said the woman receiving the stove was
emotional and grateful. “It was very
hard to transition when we came back
Matthew Gross, Kali
home. We realized they have nothing
Schwartzenberger
and have such a strong faith. We are
and Father Don
distracted by stuff and things.”
Leiphon try a piece
As the Peruvians do not celebrate the
of guinea pig, a
United States’ Thanksgiving holiday,
delicacy in Chimthey generously tried to recreate the holbote.
iday for the Americans. Two turkeys
ence and I want to go again,” said Bailey.
trip to the people in need instead of
were killed Thanksgiving morning and
“The trip was really eye-opening and
spending money to travel. He said othserved for dinner. They also were served
heart breaking,” added Kali, “They are
ers questioned this, too.
ice cream, which is usually only eaten
so happy with absolutely nothing; no
After the trip, though, they realized it
by Peruvians once a year.
clothes and dirt floors. I learned how
is the experience. “It’s about bringing
“It was a fun experience and I learned
we take things for granted.”
what we saw with our own eyes back
to take nothing for granted,” said Matthew.
Jim said before the mission trip he
with us. It would be the easy way to just
“It was a sad experience, but I was
wondered why people wouldn’t just
send a check, but we learned it’s more
amazed at how friendly the people are.”
send the money they would use for the
than that.”
“Overall it was an awesome experi-

JANUARY 2013

1A

A special pullout section of

NewEarth

OUR YEAR OF FAITH
Pope Benedict XVI declared that a Year of Faith
will be celebrated from Oct. 11, 2012 through Nov. 24, 2013.
He desires this Year of Faith to be a time of particular reflection and
rediscovery of the faith. This will be a solemn moment for the whole Church
to reappropriate exact knowledge of the faith, so as to
reinvigorate it, purify it, confirm it and confess it.

I

n his Apostolic Letter announcing the Year of
Faith, Pope Benedict
wrote: “One thing that will
be of decisive importance in
this Year is retracing the history of our faith, marked as
it is by the unfathomable
mystery of the interweaving
of holiness and sin” (no. 13).
The picture which appears
on the diocesan poster and
other literature for the Year
of Faith was chosen because
it captures the history of
faith, an interweaving of holiness and sin.
The picture of the Immaculate Conception is from a
book of prayers which was
handmade and presented to
Cardinal Muench in 1951.
In describing this book, Cardinal Muench called it “my
prized possession.” This picture not only connects us to
one of our former bishops,
but captures a decisive moment in the history of salvation and invites us to a
deeper relationship with Jesus through Mary, his
mother.
The Blessed Virgin Mary
is pictured in white, a symbol of purity; at her conception she was preserved from
the stain of Original Sin. A
scarlet veil hangs behind
Mary, sign of the blood
which Christ shed for our salvation. Since Mary’s conception is the final stage
of the coming of Jesus into the world, her foot is shown crushing the head of
the serpent, the Devil who misled Adam and Eve and caused them to sin

(Genesis 3). Because their sin
darkened the history of humanity, they appear as shadowy images behind Mary, as
does the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
In contrast to this sad history of sin are the bright images in the foreground. A
dove appears surrounded by
golden rays above Mary’s
head, symbol of the Holy
Spirit who will overshadow
her at the Annunciation (Luke
1:35). She who calls herself
“the handmaid of the Lord”
(Luke 1:38) folds her hands in
a posture of docile obedience.
Golden rays bursting forth
like the sun (see Revelation
12:1) and the halo indicates
her holiness. She stands on a
green hill alive with growth,
as the New Eve who brings
new life. The border is composed of Prairie Roses (the
state flower of North Dakota),
as the rose is a symbol of love,
beauty and paradise.
Mary, under the title Immaculate Conception, is the
patroness of the Diocese of
Fargo. As she experienced
freedom from sin in a unique
way, so we turn to her intercession as our own personal
history unfolds in an “unfathomable mystery of the interweaving of holiness and sin.”
She will help us deepen our
relationship with Jesus, her son, and grow in confidence in the salvation he
won for us.
For an expanded version of this article, visit www.fargodiocese.org/yearoffaith.

A Special Pullout Se

2A ■ JANUARY 2013

Carrie
Michaelson —
Searching for the truth

W

Father Matt Kraemer is surrounded by his extended family.

Father Matt
Kraemer —
Faith-filled family life was
foundation for my priesthood

I

was ordained a priest in 2012. I first began to fall in
love with Jesus and his family, the Church, at home
with my parents and siblings. It is a beautiful faith!
The day in and day out of family life was the setting
in which my relationship with Jesus and his Church
began to grow. My parents were very involved in my
life. They homeschooled us, and sought to raise us
well.
Of course they were not perfect, and made mistakes
in raising us. Nevertheless, there are many things that
they did well that had a profound impact on my life.
My parents’ consistent example of prayer and service,
and their perseverance in teaching the faith was very
instrumental in forming my desire to give my life to
Jesus and his Church.
Growing up, I had a hard time with prayer. We went
to Mass on Sunday and said quick prayers before meals
and before going to bed. That was easy enough. But
my parents also wanted us to have a deep prayer life as
a family.
I remember really dreading and resisting the attempts
my mom and dad made at helping us to pray as a family more often and more consistently. We would pray
every day before school, but I was almost always distracted by something or other. It seemed to me that
my siblings, with whom I usually got along, were particularly obnoxious during prayer.
Family rosaries were also difficult. It was a struggle
to get everyone together and settled down, and once
we finally got started, it seemed laborious and dry.
Even though it was hard and didn’t seem to be working most of the time, I am grateful that my parents
gave family prayer decent effort. I am glad that they
made me pray with them, because as time went along
I began to realize that I should want to pray with them,
and it bothered me that I didn’t. It was at that point
that I was able to put aside the annoyances and distractions and really pray. Who knows where I would
be now if I had been allowed to skip out of family
prayer.

G

od worked in a special way through my dad to instill in me a heart of service.
When I was quite young, perhaps five or six, he
would take my older sister and me with him to pick up
elderly people for Sunday Mass. Riding along in the
bus, we would watch dad help the elderly from their
homes onto the bus. As they came by they would pinch
our cheeks and say how cute we were.
Even though we really didn’t enjoy having our
cheeks pinched, we realized that we brightened their
day just by being there. Dad gave us an example of
service and gratitude for God’s gifts to us, but we didn’t
always follow it, especially at home.
I remember on one occasion my dad had helped a
couple move to a new apartment. The husband had
ataxia and was losing his motor skills but he still helped
in whatever small ways he could. When dad came
home that night he noticed our reluctance to help out
around the house. He sat us down and shared with us
how this man, whose entire body was failing him,
wanted to help so badly, and couldn’t. He really helped
us to realize what a gift it is to have a healthy body,
and that we must use it for the service of others.
Also instrumental in my growing in love with Jesus
and his Church was learning about the faith.
My mother took it upon herself to understand the
faith and was able to teach it to her children. She
wasn’t a theologian or scripture scholar, but she strived
to present to us what the Church teaches.
The Catechism books she had us study were interesting to me because they presented the truth. In them
I saw the beauty of God’s plan for mankind and his
plan for me.
I realized that to be a Christian really is an adventure;
there really is a battle between good and evil and I
could be on Jesus’ side in the fight, and win. Of course
I did not understand all of this then, but I do know
that the desire to know the truth was stirring in my
heart at a young age, and was fed through the unadulterated teaching of the Church.

I

thank God for the gift of having grown up in a
Catholic home.
Reflecting back on the way my parents raised me I
can say that with the help of God they laid a strong
foundation for me through their example and teaching.
This foundation, which is a life of prayer, service and
learning, is being built upon in my priesthood.
God willing, I will be able to support other Catholic
families in their efforts to create strong Catholic homes
of their own where vocations can flourish.

hat is the meaning of life, and what is our
purpose? These are questions I’ve asked myself
since early childhood. It wasn’t until I got
much older that I realized every person is born with a
yearning to know God. This deep seeded desire to
“know” became overwhelming by the time I reached
the age of 12.
My childhood had been surrounded with alcoholism,
filled with verbal and physical abuse, poverty, family
dysfunctions of many various types and was devoid of
religion. My family lived in darkness, sorrow, despair
and suffering. However, I count my childhood experiences as blessings, as it is through
these experiences that my search for
the truth began.
At 12, I attended a Southern Baptist
Bible camp. This experience had a
profound effect on me. I came to believe in Jesus, to know that Jesus
loved me no matter what, even if it
seemed no one in the world loved
me. I knew there was a God and I
knew that profound love and joy, like
none on earth, that comes when you
welcome Jesus into your life.
Michaelson
As I grew older, into my teens, I
became lost in alcohol, drugs and promiscuity. Then
at 17, as a single mother living on my own raising a
baby girl, I started trying to “re-connect” with God
again.
In my quest for truth, I began attending churches of
various Christian denominations including Methodist,
Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian, non-denominational
Evangelical, and at one point even held home bible
study sessions in the faith of Jehovah’s Witness. I was
growing more confused by the day, and one by one I
kept leaving each church. I felt in my heart that each
one was missing something.
In my disappointment, I left all churches and started
seeking worldly comforts.

A

t 19, I married an Army Sergeant who was Buddhist
by birth. He practiced no religious faith and expressed the sentiment that religion was only for the
“troubled” and “weak”. Our home was basically “religion free”. The marriage lasted until my daughters were
10 and 16.
My best friend and confidant, my mother, died at
the age of 49. A year later, two more tragedies struck.
My grandmother died of sorrow over my mother’s
death, and I became a divorcee.
In my attempt to understand life, suffering and
death, I got involved with New Age in various forms.
New Age is very deceptive, in that it uses bits and pieces
of truth, incorporated into lies, to make them more
believable.
I had become an alcoholic by the time I had reached
my early 20s, and although I had quit drinking at least
five years prior to my divorce, I still held onto my marijuana addiction.
At the time of my divorce, my 16-year-old daughter
was going through her own version of life’s hell, and
my youngest, 10, preferred to stay with her father most
of the time. So, by the age of 32, I was completely
alone and had lost everything that ever meant anything
to me, and I began to occasionally drink.

T

he desire to know God again grew stronger than
ever in my heart. Surely the truth must be somewhere, but where? Surely the Lord must have a true
and faithful Church on earth who knew Him, and
served Him faithfully, but where?
It was at this time that I obtained a job working for
a Catholic non-profit organization. My office was in
the basement of the Cathedral office. I heard the
church bells ringing every day at noon, inviting and
nudging me, ever so gently, to Holy Mass.
And so I went. The homilies made sense, the teachings from the Word of God. Then I was invited on a
pilgrimage that changed my life forever. In October
1998 at Medjugorje, Croatia, I received a personal visit
from the Blessed Mother herself. Nothing fancy, no
audible.
Please turn to CARRIE on page 3A

ection of New Earth

JANUARY 2013 ■ 3A

Local Witnesses of Faith
Here are short excerpts of local stories of faith from across the diocese. More testimonies will be posted online
throughout this Year of Faith. To read these stories in full, go to www.fargodiocese.org/storiesoffaith. If you are open to
sharing your story, please contact Katie Dubas at (701) 356-7908 or katie.dubas@fargodiocese.org.

Susan and Steve Braun: “Do you know where you’re going when you die?” asked my well-intentioned
Baptist friend. “I know where I’m going.” The seconds passed slowly as I struggled with a response. We had
been friends for several years and religious topics had been discussed before. She was sure she was “saved”
and I resolved that day that I needed to figure out what I believed.

Beth and Bo Lemer: My husband Bo and I really
worked on our marriage formation, but the hardest part was praying together. It was awkward
and uncomfortable because it forced us to show
an intimate side of ourselves that we almost never
show to people. So, although Bo and I tried to
pray, it rarely happened. About two months after
our wedding I heard God calling me to give
everything in my life to Him. Before I went to sleep
one night I told Him He could have it all – my life,
my heart. I surrendered to His call. Within two
months of this, God put people, books and experiences in my life that only lead me closer to Him.

Jennifer and Patrick Lagein: Right after we were engaged, I called a friend and she offered this advice:
“Ask God if he is the one for you. God will answer
you.” I got off the phone and did exactly what she
said. I cried through the whole prayer. God answered me that very moment. He said, “Yes.” It was
like He was in the room with me because I could
hear His voice.

Laura Johnson: I had a friend who was Catholic
and I asked him if I could attend Mass with him. He
agreed and I walked into St. Paul’s Newman Center
not knowing that my life would be forever changed.
I was intrigued by this church and as I sat through
Mass, I formulated numerous questions to ask my
friend for I was puzzled by its mysteriousness.

love and joy, I was also given the assurance that the
Catholic Church was her son’s true Church, and that I
was invited to share in the Feast.
I returned home with an eagerness to learn about
the Catholic faith.

sense. I knew where I was supposed to be, who I was
supposed to be with, and for what purpose my life had
been given.
And I knew I was a sinner. Sin can weigh the soul
down like an anchor, preventing it from reaching the
heights that God desires for the soul.
The sacrament of confession freed me from my anguish and guilt.
I knew God had truly forgiven me and that I could
come back as often as needed for His healing, mercy
and forgiveness.

Liz and Doran Chandler: The first time I was prayed
over for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, I sat at Father Neil’s table. He placed his hand on my heart
and told me my heart was full of wounds and scars
and I should pray to St. Michael constantly. He also
told me God wanted to heal my heart and I should
ask Jesus to go with me to those deep wounds and
talk about them. Be careful what you ask Jesus to
do, it can be painful, but with pain comes healing
and joy.

Carrie’s story
Continued from page 2A
words, no visual apparitions. Just Mary and me on a
mountainside, where I “experienced” the love she and
her son have for me.
I cried tears of joy, and experienced love like I have
never known. My heart was filled to the point of exploding; my body grew weak in the presence of such
beautiful holiness. It was impossible to move, or utter
a word from my mouth. It was like time had frozen. I
could only “feel” the love being given to me.
In those few seconds of sheer peace, overwhelming

B

eing a person of logic and reason, I researched the
Catholic faith to understand the basis for its faith
and teachings. I already knew in my heart that it was
the Church established by Christ. The more I learned,
the more enlightened was my mind. Everything made

A Special Pullout Section of New Earth

4A ■ JANUARY 2013
2A ■ JANUARY 2013

Vatican II
and how
it applies today

Msgr. Watson is currently spending a couple of
months with the Dominican Sisters of St. Joseph in
Lymington in the South of England, serving as the
chaplain of the community before his Archbishop
gives him a new parish assignment.

Speaker has theological background

That’s the topic for January
talks by British theologian
The Fargo Diocese will sponsor a conference on
the teachings of Vatican II as part of its Year of Faith
offerings. The talk will be given in two locations:
Tuesday, Jan. 29, at St. Joseph’s, Devils Lake; and
Wednesday, Jan. 30, at St. Anthony’s, Fargo. The
schedule
for
each
evening will include dinner at 5:30 p.m., and the
presentation beginning
at 6:30 p.m. A free-will
offering will be taken.
Guest speaker Msgr.
Paul Watson, retired director
of
Maryvale
Higher Institute of Religious Sciences, Birmingham, England, will present a brief summary of
the four main documents of the Second Vatican Council and show
Msgr. Watson
how they are still applicable to the Church today as we participate in the
mystery, communion and mission of the Trinity. He
has a deep love for Holy Scripture and Holy Mother
Church. Come and listen to his insightful presentation. You’ll be glad you did.

Msgr. Watson is a priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, England. In Sept. 2000, he became the Director of Maryvale Institute after serving as parish
priest in two parishes in the archdiocese.
Msgr. Watson undertook his studies for the priesthood at Oscott College in Birmingham (1968-73),
and was ordained in January 1974. He later studied
for his license in theology at the Pontifical Gregorian
University in Rome, specializing in Catholic Spirituality. In 2004 he received a master’s degree in education from the Open University.
He has a wide experience as a writer and speaker.
As a co-founder of the monthly magazine Bible Alive,
he has been a regular contributor since 2006. His articles are also featured regularly in Maryvale’s Catechetical Journal “The Sower,” in the “New Diaconal
Review” and “Faith Today.” He has also contributed
to published symposia such as “Hear O Islands,” “A
Garland of Silver” and the published papers of various
catechetical conferences. He has also written course
books for several of Maryvale’s degree programs —
most recently for the new Maryvale Master of Arts in
Apologetics.
As a speaker, he has given a number of retreats for
priests and lay people, as well as talks in parishes,
and at conferences at home and overseas — focusing
particularly on catechesis and Scripture.
Msgr. Watson retired as Director of Maryvale Institute in August 2012. He is currently acting as chaplain
to the Dominican Sisters at St. Dominic’s Priory,
Lymington, Berkshire, and is carrying out a number
of speaking engagements connected with the Year of
Faith.

NEWEARTH

5 family priorities
for celebrating the Year of Faith
Your family is the most important priority in
your life, right? Here are five tips to keep your
family drawing closer to Christ. Celebrate, study
and live your faith as a family.
1. Eat together — Talk with one another during
mealtime. No TV, cell phones, etc. This is a great
opportunity for quality time and to nurture the faith
of your family.
2. Pray together — Start by praying before meals,
before bed, before road trips. The rosary is a
beautiful devotion that even little children can
learn to pray.
3. Discuss the homily — After Mass, talk in the car
about what you learned. See what everyone
remembers.
4. Photo albums — Look at pictures of Baptism,
Confirmation, Eucharist, weddings, and reflect on
the graces given to your family in the sacraments.
Show your children their baptismal certificate.
5. Field trips — Visit churches besides your regular
church, walk around together and discover the
statues, stained glass and other sacred art. See if
you can name the bible story or the saint
portrayed there! Look up their stories and discuss
over mealtime. This is also great to do when
traveling on vacation.

Attention! Attention!

ECHOES
Starting Feb. 7

Student’s grades 2-12 are invited
to ‘hop on the faith train’

What is ECHOES?
• Adult formation and training in knowledge of
the Catholic faith
• Overview of Catholic essentials in 11 sessions
• Covers basic teaching skills for those involved in catechesis
• Reveals how to use the Bible and Catechism in teaching
• Connects catechesis to worship and the liturgy
• Tells the story of Salvation
• Helps one grow in faith
• Recognizes that every adult is a catechist in various ways

An Act of Faith
Oh my God, I firmly believe that You are one God in three Divine Persons:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that Your Divine Son became man and
died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I
believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches,
because You have revealed them, Who can neither deceive nor be deceived. Amen.

Attention all Catholic schools, religious education
students or youth groups, come hop on the faith train
for the Year of Faith! The youth department of the Diocese of Fargo is offering a writing/drawing competition.
It is designed to help you both reflect upon your faith
and share your faith with others.
This is how it works: send a hand drawn cartoon,
poem or personal story about your Catholic faith. Just
follow these simple instructions:
• 2nd-4th grade students, submit a drawing or story,
no longer than 100 words, of your experience during
your first Reconciliation or Confirmation and first Eucharist, or what you hope it will be like when receiving
first Reconciliation, Confirmation and first Eucharist.
• 5th-6th grade students, submit a drawing, poem or
story, no longer than 200 words, about an experience
you have had while attending Mass.
• 7th-9th grade students, submit a drawing, poem or
story, no longer than 200 words, about an experience
you have had in school, your neighborhood or with
your family while learning something new about your
Catholic faith.
• 10th-12th grade students, submit a drawing, poem
or story, no longer than 250 words, about an area of
your Catholic faith that you struggled with or have
had a personal experience with that has been lifechanging for you.
Submit your entry to the youth office no later than
Feb. 28. The best of the entries will be featured in an
insert in the Catholic diocesan newspaper, New Earth.
Please include a school picture of yourself along with
your entry.
If submitting a drawing, color crayons, pencil, ink or
markers are permitted. Handwritten or typed stories allowed. On a separate sheet of paper, please write your
name (first and last), your grade, your parent’s names
(first and last), mailing address and the Catholic Church
you belong to.
Don’t delay, write your entry today and send to:
Kathy Loney, youth department, 5201 Bishops Blvd,
Ste. A, Fargo, ND 58104.